Doomsday preacher apologizes for failed predictions

KGO

November 5, 2011 5:56:03 PM PDT

OAKLAND, Calif. --

Religious leader Harold Camping has apologized for failing to predict the end of the world several times.

In a rambling message on his website, the Family Radio broadcaster said his organization was "embarrassed" for failing to predict the end of times and apologized for assuming those who were not raptured on May 21, and then again on Oct. 21, had not been saved.

"I should not have said that, and I apologize," Camping said. "God is merciful."

Camping also said additional language in the Bible needed to be looked at before coming to a conclusion about the specific date in which the world would end.

Earlier this year, Camping spent millions of dollars advertising May 21, 2011 as the day in which the world would end. Camping suggested earthquakes would shake the world at 6 p.m. in each time zone.

When the rapture failed to initialize, Camping cited a calculation error and predicted the end of the world on Oct. 21. Shortly after that prediction, Camping suffered a stroke and was hospitalized.

In late September, Camping had recovered enough to return home, according to information posted on the Family Radio website.

Camping has not returned to the Oakland-based Family Radio since his stroke.

Many of Camping's followers sold property -- in some cases, their homes -- to invest in his message of the end of times prior to May 21. Others questioned Camping's suggestion, citing a Biblical verse found in the book of Matthew that states that no one individual would know when the world would end.